


A Broken Hallelujah

by ritastyxx (jackiesjunkie)



Series: A Broken Hallelujah [1]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Agender Character, Gen, Mention of sexual harrassment, Nonbinary Character, they/them pronouns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 17:57:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20313664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackiesjunkie/pseuds/ritastyxx
Summary: After the end of the world didn't happen, Aziraphale's bookshop accidentally becomes a safe haven





	A Broken Hallelujah

The sound of the door rapidly opening and closing drew Aziraphale's attention from his book. If it had been Crowley who had dropped by for a visit, the angel would have sensed his presence before he had entered the building. Likely as not, he would have also heard the Bentley's arrival as well without any Heavenly aid. This human, however, radiated enough panic that no angelic grace was needed to cause Aziraphale to rise from his chair with an air of concern. "My dear, are you quite all right?"

"He's after me," came the choked reply.

Aziraphale quickly flipped the sign to Closed on the door and locked the deadbolt. "Follow me. You'll be quite safe here." He motioned toward the back of the bookstore and led the young human out of view of the windows and any prying eyes. "My name is Aziraphale, the proprietor of this establishment. What might I call you?"

After a moment's hesitation, the frightened human answered, "My friends call me Jae."

Aziraphale nodded in greeting. "The pleasure is all mine, Jae. Might I offer you a mug of hot cocoa?"

Once they were settled with mugs of steaming cocoa in the back of the bookshop, Aziraphale asked, "Would you care to discuss what happened that's gotten you into such a state?"

Jae clutched at the mug, shoulders rounding in on themselves. "Some people just can't take no for an answer." Their hands shook as they continued. "Some friends and I were working out details for... an event that's coming up. Talking about where to situate each of the groups, decorations, who might be selling stuff." They took a deep breath before continuing. "We weren't being overly loud or anything but this one guy just decided to butt in and make all kinds of snide, sarcastic remarks. He was just being an asshole to all of us but when we left and went our separate ways, he followed me. I was going to wait for the bus but he started touching my arm and he refused to get out of my personal space." Jae's voice shook so they paused to sip at the steaming cocoa. After a few moments, they continued. "I started walking and again, he followed. He started making remarks that were more threatening, more... sexual in nature. Stuff like how I just needed a good man and how he could show me what it was supposed to be like."

Aziraphale felt his indignation heating up. No one had a right to treat one of God's creations that way. 

"I saw your sign and remembered one of my friends had mentioned stopping in before and he said the guy who ran the shop seemed like a good guy, friendly and non-judgemental like some of the shop owners we've had to deal with in the past. So when I saw you were open, I figured..." they trailed off.

Aziraphale set his mug of cocoa on the table beside his chair and leaned toward Jae. "I assure you, my dear, this is a safe place and if you should choose to meet with your friends here, I will make sure you are undisturbed by any such scoundrels."

*****************

Two weeks later when Crowley stopped in to see if Aziraphale wanted to share a meal later that night at the Ritz, he was surprised to see a group of young people sprawled on the floor off to one side of the entrance to the bookshop. "Angel?" he asked when he got over to where Aziraphale was reshelving books, waving a hand at the group in unspoken question.

Aziraphale smiled brightly at Crowley. "Ah, Crowley. Nice to see you, dear boy. These delightful young people are working on planning a little Pride event."

"Pride?" Crowley asked. "Isn't that more my department than yours?"

"Not like that. They are spreading love and acceptance." He glanced over at the group. "They needed a safe place to gather where they wouldn't have to worry about anyone causing them undue grief."

Crowley's eyebrows shot up, "Well aren't you just the patron saint of queer causes?" His voice was teasing because he knew the angel had a soft spot for anyone who didn't fit in the status quo. "They picked a good place to meet then. So care to join me at the Ritz tonight? You can tell me all about your new little project with them." He nodded toward the group of humans.

"Of course, my dear. You know I can never refuse."

**Author's Note:**

> Aziraphale doesn't assume anyone's gender being without one himself unless he decides to make an Effort.
> 
> I've not written GO fic before, so I'm still working on getting the characterization down. I wasn't really drawing on the Archangel Fucking Gabriel as a mental image of the guy mentioned here... not really. Well maybe a little.


End file.
